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Turkish Press Review - Wednesday, May 21, 2014

Wednesday, May 21, 2014

Dailies cover developments regarding the Soma mining disaster, Erdogan's remarks on the disaster, the Balkan floods, and the world's most expensive divorce

ISTANBUL - Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

The Soma mining disaster continues to dominate the front pages of Turkish dailies on Wednesday. Many newspapers covered allegations that the cause of the disaster will be disclosed through the dispute between the mine's general manager and his boss. "Manager will expose his boss" was the headline in daily AKSAM, which published the details of the Soma disaster revealing a dispute between the General Manager Ramazan Dogru and his boss, Alp Gurkan. Dogru refused an attorney assigned by the mining company and hired one himself. He is said to bear testimony again and will tell of the negligence of his boss.

Turkey's Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's remarks on Soma mining disaster were also mentioned in the front pages of the dailies. Erdogan slammed those who gave misinformation and manipulated the news on the coal mine explosion. Daily TURKEY titled "Concrete poured on your conscience" referring to allegations made during the rescue efforts of the disaster that officials poured concrete on miners to disguise the real number of victims. The prime minister was quoted as saying "Some were in pursuit of ideological purposes while people mourned the victims."

The foreign media was served with wrong and manipulated news and totally misguided by their reporters, Erdogan said while speaking at his Justice and Development (AK) Party's parliamentary group meeting Tuesday.

Dailies also covered the flood disaster in the Balkan countries. Daily YENI SAFAK titled "Epidemic concern" and said the death toll rose to 40 in the flood disaster in the Balkans with over 1.5 million people being affected. Officials issued warnings about mines that were placed between 1992 and 1995 which could now be relocated due to landslides. As there is a risk of epidemic health danger in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia, officials said submerged homes should be immediately sanitized.

The most expensive divorce in the world was also included in the dailies. "Half of US$9bn fortune goes to ex-wife" was the headline of daily STAR, reporting that Russian billionaire Dmitry Rybolovlev will pay $4.5 billion to his ex-wife Elena Rybolovleva after a judicial case that lasted six years, the case is considered a historic divorce world-wide.